CCAC at COP29: Daily Updates - 22 November 2024

COP29: The Final Day

We’ve reached the final day of formal negotiations, with tensions high as Parties consider a proposed new text to mobilize $250 billion per year in climate finance by 2035. The draft has already been criticized by developing countries as insufficient, with discussions expected to continue well into the weekend. Extending past the formal closing of the Conference is par for the course, with most Conferences in recent years being prolonged by a day or two.  

Outside of the negotiations, action on super pollutants was on full display over the course of the last two weeks. To highlight some of the new initiatives and the progress made, our final daily COP update closes with a summary of super pollutant initiatives as well as key updates from our partners. 

Reflections by Martina Otto, Head of the CCAC Secretariat

Methane and other super pollutants were high on the radar at COP29. They are our emergency break in the climate crisis: curbing near-term warming and helping reduce the risk of hitting tipping points. 

Action on super pollutants is entirely doable, with known technologies and often cost-effective. 

Simply put, the events over the past two weeks gave me hope. From the non-CO2 Summit, the Global Methane Pledge Ministerial, and the Declaration on Reducing Organic Waste, as well as the many pavilion events, it’s clear that there is a community at work, and that a movement is in motion. 

We heard announcements by countries on action at home and internationally, on finance and new regulations that are driving emission cuts across all three major methane emitting sectors: fossil fuels, waste and agriculture. The ambition was clear to see, with concrete reduction targets and the inclusion of super pollutants into new NDCs, notably from the UK, Brazil, and the UAE. And we saw increased regional cooperation, notably from the LAC region, on the closure of dumpsites.  

There is a support system in place to provide capacity support to countries. There is a data revolution that has made methane emissions visible, showing not only where the emissions are, but ultimately highlighting where they have been reduced. In the oil and gas sector, much of the action centers on fixing pipes and supporting regulation, including through the CCAC’s Fossil Fuel Regulatory Programme (FFRP).

In agriculture, the focus is on deeper practice changes that need to be adopted in livestock and rice farming, which if designed well will come with increased resilience and productivity gains. And in the waste sector, much is about multi-level governance and creating business opportunities within the circular economy, benefiting both food security and access to energy. 

Since releasing the Global Methane Assessment in 2021, and providing secretariat services to the Global Methane Pledge, the CCAC is proud to have been supporting countries on their pathways to reducing methane. Over 75 countries have taken part in our Methane Roadmap Action Programme (M-RAP). We’re working with over 30 countries towards the inclusion of super pollutants into the NDCs, building on our freshly released guidance document, which is now available in English, French, Spanish, and Arabic. And the CCAC is supporting over 30 countries on agriculture and waste projects.  

At COP29, we released our first full TEAP report on Digital Extension Services, a way to fill the awareness and finance gap on promising but underinvested technologies. This is just the beginning, and there will be more to come on bio covers and black soldier fly farming.  

We also launched the new UNEP/FAO Global Nitrous Oxide Assessment, that the CCAC Scientific Advisory Panel developed, in cooperation with the INMS and under the leadership of co-chairs David Kanter and A.R Ravishankara, highlighting the need to act on this critical greenhouse gas and ozone depleting substance. 

There is no time to sit back after a busy COP29. We are moving immediately onto further implementation, with the launch of this year’s round of transformative action projects, and our new Expression of Interest call, which are now open to countries to submit funding requests. 

Together, we can continue to make progress on super pollutants and increase ambition globally and help avoid the worst of the climate crisis. 

The Super Pollutant Movement in Action

EDF’s MethaneSAT releases new images : The newly released images showcase MethaneSAT's groundbreaking ability to produce high-precision, high-resolution quantitative data on methane emissions over wide areas from the oil and gas sector. This includes total emissions coming from smaller, dispersed sources that are largely invisible to other satellites operating today. The new images include the Appalachian, Permian and Uinta basins in the US; the Amu Darya and South Caspian basins in Turkmenistan; and the Maturin basin in Venezuela. MethaneSAT is working synergistically with other global mapping and point source-focused satellites to unlock critical reductions. 

New Data to Action funding from Global Methane Hub: Global Methane Hub announced $10 million of funding to Carbon Mapper and MethaneSAT, propelling its Data to Action initiative.

At COP29 Ministerial co-organized by Germany and the European Commission, UNEP’s IMEO has launched its 2024 annual An Eye on Methane: Invisible but not unseenreport, – alongside the refreshed version of its Eye on Methane data platform. IMEO’s annual report spotlights the readiness of data-driven tools to reduce methane emissions and the need to put them to use to reduce emissions and deliver on pledges. In short, the tools are ready, the pledges are set – it's time to deliver.   

In addition to these launches, the European Commission and SOCAR co-hosted an OGMP 2.0 CEO forum to convene company executives and leaders and reaffirm the importance of OGMP 2.0’s measurement-based reporting for the sector’s ability to effectively deliver on its methane commitments.  

Methane Abatement Partnership Roadmap: The European Commission launched a new Methane Abatement Partnership Roadmap to further accelerate the reduction of methane emissions associated with fossil energy production and consumption, in collaboration with several partner countries, international organizations, NGOs and development banks. This new Roadmap provides a blueprint for cooperation between fossil fuel importing and exporting countries, which will support companies in improving their monitoring, reporting and verification systems to reduce methane emissions. 

European Civil Society Observatory on Methane Emissions highlighted at COP29 : European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson highlighted a new initiative led by Environmental Defense Fund Europe in collaboration with Deutsche Umwelthilfe and other partner organizations to launch a European Civil Society Observatory on Methane Emissions, a key mechanism to monitor and advocate for methane emissions reductions. By harnessing independent data from advanced sources, including UNEP’s International Methane Emissions Observatory, satellites like MethaneSAT and others, and engaging national and regional organizations, the Observatory will empower citizens and civil society across Europe to demand transparency and methane abatement from both policymakers and industry. 

Clean Air Fund launched a policy brief, The Case Action on Tropospheric Ozone. Produced in collaboration with Clean Air Task Force, Clean Air Institute and Hill Consulting, this report sets out how reducing this super pollutant will mitigate climate change, deliver clean air and support food security. Tropospheric ozone is responsible for approximately 0.23°C of present-day warming and more than half a million premature deaths each year. It is one of the super pollutants that have driven half of global warming to date. The report builds on the announcement from the COP 29 Summit on Methane and Non-CO2 GHGs in which the US and China highlighted tropospheric ozone as an issue requiring further attention on the global stage. Included in the factsheet following the summit, leading multi-national businesses announced their reporting on tropospheric ozone precursor emissions through the Clean Air Fund's Alliance for Clean Air.  

Global Methane Initiative launched a 20th Anniversary webpage that links to their updated Case Study library, their Project Network “Find an Expert” feature, Past Forums, Strategic Partners, and updated profiles for 49 partner countries. The page details methane emissions, as published by each country, methane commitments and plans, including national and international commitments and partnerships, specific actions being taken to mitigate methane by sector, and national ministries and agencies supporting methane actions. 

The World Health Organization released its climate and health NDC guidance, titled Quality criteria for integrating health into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This document will support policymakers in their quest to protect their populations from the effects of climate change. Everyone’s health is impacted by climate change and everyone can benefit from climate action.

We Don't Have Time X CCAC: #BuyMoreTime

At COP29, the CCAC partnered with "We Don't Have Time" to amplify efforts in reducing super pollutants, highlighting the climate and health benefits of tackling methane as we continue to transition our economies to maintain the 1.5°C target. As part of this initiative, we held daily episodes feauturing the work of those championing super pollutant solutions around the world.

Watch Recordings. 

COP29: Super Pollutants Media Digest  

Editorial: Addressing climate Change by Tackling Super Pollutants: Published by Voice of America, 20 November  

COP29: Over 30 Countries Vow to Fight Methane Waste Emissions: Published by Asia Financial, 20 November 

Slashing methane emissions is ‘our emergency brake’, UN says: Published by the Guardian, 19 November  

The invisible climate bomb: why we can’t ignore nitrous oxide: Published by Development Today, 18 November 

The Tug-of-War on This Climate Super Pollutant Has Big Implications for the Future: Published by Inside Climate News, 16 November 

Governments, industry must up action on methane: Published by Deutsche Welle, 15 November  

Policy Makers at COP29 Urged to Act on Super Pollutant Gases: Published by Forbes, 14 November  

As pollution worsens in Delhi, experts at COP29 urge India to tackle short-lived climate pollutants: Published by Press Trust of India, 14 November 

Nitrous Oxide levels endangering Paris Goals: UN report: Published by the Hindustan Times, 14 November 

UN report: Nitrous oxide emissions are growing faster than expected, endangering climate goals and human health: Published by Xinhua (China), 13 November 

UN report warns nitrous oxide emissions impact public health: Published by Pune News (India), 12 November 

How oil and gas companies disguise their methane emissions: Published by the Financial Times, November 12